Scandal Sheet

Though she is third billed, Pamela Reed is the real star of this unpleasant but apparently realistic and very well-acted movie.

Disclosure: I was once a "World Famous Psychic" for Globe magazine. But I have two friends who wrote for the National Enquirer. I know stories from them that give me insight into the accuracy of "Scandal Sheet."

One friend had been a journalist, had even been among the last to leave Vietnam; there's even a photo of him on the Internet in his war correspondent costume -- and over his real name.

When he went from his Los Angeles home to Florida to work for the Enquirer, he changed his last name. Understandably, in my opinion.

He was sent, as one of his first assignments, to New York to do a story on Gregory Peck, who was making a movie. He spoke to Mr. Peck in the lobby of their hotel and Mr. Peck very politely said, "I never speak to that publication," a common enough retort, I believe.

My friend called down to Florida to explain and was told, "Hey, you're supposed to be a reporter. Get that story!"

He then called Mr. Peck's room, and this time Mr. Peck was not so polite in his refusal.

My friend couldn't take any more and resigned from the Enquirer. And took a job at the Weekly World News.

The other friend told interviewees he was from a certain news agency, and probably told most of them he would sell his story to whoever would take it -- which was always the Enquirer.

He told me of getting a 3 a.m. phone call from an irate Whoopi Goldberg, giving him a sound reaming for interviewing her daughter.

There really is not much honor or honesty in those supermarket tabloids, and "Scandal Sheet" does a good job of demonstrating that.

I cannot warmly recommend the movie, except to say it is awfully well done, the acting is great, some of the scenery, that around Santa Barbara, is beautiful, but the ugliness barely qualifies as entertainment.

If you do want to see it, it's available at YouTube. I saw it on a DVD, which I'm donating to my local Friends of the Library. I don't want it in my house.

In a recent biography of Burt Lancaster , Henry Winkler who was the producer of Scandal Sheet said that he wanted Burt Lancaster for the part of the supermarket tabloid media mogul in the film. Winkler said he imagined what J.J. Hunseker which was one of Lancaster's most acclaimed roles in the 50s in Sweet Smell Of Success would do in this day and age's media.

I think Scandal Sheet provides the answer as Lancaster channels his old role as the Broadway gossip columnist based on Walter Winchell to the 80s. Here Lancaster is the mega rich owner of a supermarket channel rag and he hires Pamela Reed who is a freelance writer published in more respectable journals for his publication. Reed is a single mother of Bobby Jacoby and there are way too much fringe benefits and salary to refuse.

The real purpose in hiring her was to get the inside dope on fading film star Robert Urich. Reed knew Urich and his wife Lauren Hutton back in the day.

Hutton has been offered a big movie role, but she won't do it without Urich and no movie company will insure him. Hutton has put up her salary as the guarantor of Urich. As for Urich he's a man trying to kick the alcohol habit. It all ends badly.

The lure of money and the good life it can bring is the real subject of Scandal Sheet and Pamela Reed is the real protagonist of the movie. The reason for watching Scandal Sheet is to see how she handles it. Integrity is nice and honorable, but it can be expensive.

The Urich/Hutton part of the story is based I believe on Greta Garbo and John Gilbert. Garbo tried to rescue Gilbert who was falling into dissipation as his career was circling the bowl after talkies came in. She insisted on and did Queen Christina with Gilbert and while he got good reviews it did nothing to save his career. There's a bit A Star Is Born in this as well.

In the supporting cast look for Peter Jurasik as Lancaster's second in command. What a lizard that one is, but a great performance.

Scandal Sheet is a disturbing, but excellent made for TV film.

Over and over...Money is the root of all evil.

Helen Grant needs money and her writing assignment will not be published for over a year.

Enter Burt Lancaster, head of a vicious gossip newspaper that is in the process of destroying an alcoholic actor.

He promises Helen the world. He lures her out to California where he wines and dines her. Beautiful house, expense account, good schools for her son, great salary, great everything. Lead us not into temptation, but Helen will not be delivered from evil.

Lancaster had hired her because she is best friends with the actor he wants to destroy-Robert Urich along with his wife, her college room mate played nicely by Lauren Hutton.

When Helen destroys papers that show that Hutton is paying the insurance on her husband's contract, Lancaster makes sure to write the story stating that Helen had written this up. This destroys her friendship as well as the Urich character, who suffers a fatal heart attack.

At the funeral, Hutton spits at Helen. Helen takes pictures of the deceased and hands them over to Lancaster exclaiming that she wants the job. She has become a real stinker now. Money is certainly the root of all evil.

"Scandal Sheet" is a made for TV film that was probably a bit more timely back in 1985. After all, there were some high profile lawsuits against "The National Enquirer" back then and there was a lot of public uproar about the sort of tabloid journalism they used to boost sales. This is still pretty timely today.

The film is about a fictional scandal sheet which engages in the sleaziest sorts of 'journalism'. They'll do anything in order to sell papers...ANYTHING. Unfortunately, the editor of the paper is very suave and sweet....on the surface. I say unfortuntely because he (Burt Lancaster) is able to convince a decent writer (Pamela Reed) to work for him...and makes all sorts of promises he has no intention of keeping. Why? Because she not only is a writer but knows a famous Hollywood couple...and the newspaper is bent on destroying them and want her to help. She naively thinks they want her for her journalistic skills and integrity! How all this plays out is very sad to watch...but very well written.

This is one of the better made for TV films I have seen...mostly because it has some really good points to make and does it very well. Having an impressive cast also helped.

If you like this film, also try finding the old movies "Five Star Final" or its remake "Two Against the World"...films about newspapers in the 1930s which stop at nothing to create a story...even if it means destroying people in the process. I guess things never really change very much...at least when it comes to tabloids.

This made-for-TV piece moves quickly and has an arsenal of great acting talent. Caught between a stalled writing career in the "legitimate" publishing world, and an offer she can't refuse, Helen Grant (Pamela Reed) gets in over her head with a seedy but successful tabloid. The new job takes her on a wild ride, and us right along with her. Usually a supporting actress, Ms. Reed holds her own in the lead here. In fact she is the perfect pawn for the crafty Mr. Fallen (Burt Lancaster) who pulls all her strings. Burt is brilliant.

It is a story of two kinds of betrayal: to others and to one's own self. The movie makes you ask, "What's my price to sell out my ideals?" Strong performances by Robert Urich and Lauren Hutton as well. Very watchable. I rate it an 8/10.